Category Archives: middle grade novels

Today I am trying an amazing experiment. It’s possible that by doing so, my house might crumble and frogs might fall from the sky and a darkness might blanket the world for two eternities.

Today I am doing *my* stuff first. Which is to say, today, I am focusing on revising my novel. (Remember that thing? The first draft I finished way back in the spring?)

Most days, revision is on my to-do list, but way down at the bottom. Before I can get to it, I must first do all of my other writing, my chores, paperwork, scheduling, and everything else that keeps this busy household of six up and running. And by the time I do all that, I’m too fuzzy and tired to revise. Day after day, this is how it goes.

Because, isn’t that what grownups do? Get the work done before you can play?

So now it’s been six months and my manuscript just waits patiently, tucked away in its hard-drive bed, hoping that I’ll stop by and say hello. Maybe take it out for some fresh air and a good scrubbing. And every day I look at that little Scrivener icon on my desktop and say soon, soon, even as a part of me knows that today will not be the day. Maybe tomorrow. Or the day after that.

Six months have gone by; six months that could’ve seen perhaps two rounds of revisions had I *made* the time instead of hoping that someone was going to give it to me, like a weekend pass to a theme park. Oh, I’ve picked at it here and there, brainstormed and got help from some terrific crit partners on where I needed to go and what I needed to do, but nothing substantial has been done.

I’m tired of the picking and the poking and the playing around.

Does it matter if the breakfast dishes (or the ones from last night’s dinner) don’t get done until I’m cooking tonight? That laundry waits for hours in the washing machine before it gets moved to the dryer? That paperwork piles up? Heck, no.

It sounds obvious, doesn’t it? It’s just that I don’t think that way. You first, me second — that’s how I usually roll. But, if I don’t make myself a priority some of the time, who will?

Moms tend to put everyone else first — we have to. It’s our job. But it’s easy to fall into a routine in which we put ourselves way down at the bottom of the never-ending list of stuff we have to do.

I hear my writer friends cheering in the background — today, the writing comes first. Today, darling family, my work is more important than your stuff.

Mitzi and I recently read “One for the Murphys” by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Last week, on our way down to Cape Cod for the holiday weekend, we discussed it, but as it was very late (close to midnight) and dark and I was tired. We talked for an hour but I didn’t take notes, so, for the record, her opinions expressed here are based on my memory of her remarks that night.

First, the jacket flap:

Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child, and moves in with the Murphys, she’s blindsided. This loving, bustling family shows Carley the stable family life she never thought existed, and she feels like an alien in their cookie-cutter-perfect household. Despite her resistance, the Murphys eventually show her what it feels like to belong–until her mother wants her back and Carley has to decide where and how to live. She’s not really a Murphy, but the gifts they’ve given her have opened up a new future.

Mitzi and I both loved Carley — she’s sassy and smart and really funny. But she’s very honest too, and her conflict is real. She tries her best to resist the affection that Mrs. Murphy offers her, but eventually gives in to it and comes to love Mrs. Murphy — perhaps even more than her own mother, who we don’t see much of in the book, though we do hear about the violent incident that landed Carley in foster care in the first place. Carley loves her mom and has loyalty towards her, but isn’t sure if she can forgive her for what she’s done.

Meanwhile, Carley has to adjust to the three Murphy boys. The youngest two seem to like her right away and are easy with their friendships. But the older son, Daniel, resents Carley’s presence, and it’s not until the pair find a common ground in basketball that they start to get along. Then there’s Mr. Murphy, a fireman, who also seems put out by having Carley in his life. He’s slightly suspicious of her, and doesn’t hold back his obvious irritation. Throughout the book, though, he warms up to Carley, in part due to Carley’s new friend, Toni, who razzes Mr. Murphy about his obsession with the Red Sox.

But the real story here is the one between Carley and Mrs. Murphy, who is an absolute contrast to Carley’s mother. Both Mitzi and I agreed that Mrs. Murphy is a wonderful character who helps Carley let down her wall so she can make new relationships and trust those who are trying to be nice to her and love her. We also both felt sucked into the story, like we were living it right alongside Carley. And, like Carley, we were sad at the end with the decision Carley ultimately makes.

I think Mitzi is tougher than me when it comes to reading books like this one — there were plenty of moments that had me in need of a tissue, but that might be because I can’t help but read with my mom-lenses on. This book is definitely not a tear-jerker, but it does have quite a few heart-wrenching moments.

The bottom line: we loved this book. Carley is strong and opinionated and funny — and also emotional, in that, she has them. Her character rang true with us, and Mitzi’s only disappointment was that she won’t get to know what happens next to Carley. “I really hope the author writes a sequel!” For me, I’m not sure that a sequel is in the cards, but I’m truly looking forward to the author’s next book. Her writing is just amazing. But don’t take it from me — go get your own copy!

“One for the Murphys” is appropriate for ages 10 and up, and would be a great book for parents and kids to read together, as there’s much to discuss throughout, from foster families to relationships to honesty to trust, and more. Definitely a five-star book!

At the beginning of the summer, I spied a copy of “See You at Harry’s” by Jo Knowles on the ‘new books’ shelf at our library. I snatched up immediately, having heard all the pre- and post-release buzz on the internet. When I tweeted that I had it in hand and was getting ready to dive in, a friend tweeted back: Keep a box of tissues nearby. (She also said how awesome it was, of course.)

My friend was not wrong. I read the book in one sitting, ignoring the impossibly beautiful summer day outside. I just could not put it down. The kids, perhaps sensing my intensity, had a rare afternoon of playing nicely with one another. By the end, I was wrung out. I needed space and time to process the world I’d just been living, the ways that the author had seamlessly created a story that felt so real it could have happened to a neighbor, a friend.

And I think this is one of the strengths of this novel — Knowles has created characters that have quirks and problems, and a family that is somewhat dysfunctional, but it’s all so normal, and in some ways, familiar.

Before I go on with my thoughts about this book, here is the jacket flap copy:

Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible. Her dad is always busy planning how to increase traffic to the family business. Her mom is constantly going off to meditate. Her sister Sara, who’s taking a “gap year” after high school, is too busy finding ways not to work; and her brother Holden is too focused on his new “friend” to pay attention to her. And then there’s Charlie: three years old, a “surprise” baby, and the center of everyone’s world.

If it wasn’t for Ran, Fern’s best and oldest friend, there would be nowhere to turn. Ran is always calm, always positive. His mantra “All will be well” is soothing in a way that nothing else seems to be. And when Ran says it, Fern can almost believe.

But when their lives are unexpectedly turned upside down, Fern feels more alone than ever, and responsible for the event that wrenches the family apart. All will not be well. Or at least, all will never be the same.

Fern is a wonderful character, well-developed and authentic. Like many “number threes” in a four-child family, she is desperate for her mom’s attention — this is established in the first pages, as Fern remembers that the best day of her life was when she was sick with a stomach bug, and her mother spent the day alone with her, taking care of her. And, like a typical 12 year old, Fern also finds the rest of her family annoying and frustrating: Dad’s attention is on his latest scheme to improve the family’s struggling restaurant. Sara spends more time with a busboy than doing her job, and when she is around is a little too blunt in her comments and observations. There’s Holden, coming to terms with his sexuality and struggling to be open about it. Mom spends her time either seeking inner peace or doting on Charlie. Charlie, always sticky and demanding in the adorable way of most three year olds, is very attached to Fern, who is often the one left to watch over him, even when she’d rather be doing other things.

Knowles spends the first third of the book developing the family dynamics and Fern’s reaction to it all. The family reminds me of many other families in the world — two working parents who are often so focused on making ends meet their children are not a priority. And that is, unfortunately, life for a lot of us. In the first third, there is some humor, especially with Charlie and Fern (for instance, Charlie is always holding his beloved Doll and shaking its naked plastic tush in Fern’s face). And while Fern finds her siblings irritating, the mutual affection is obvious, especially the bond she shares with Holden. There might be bickering and annoyance, but in the end, there is love and support. As a side note, Holden’s issues — coming out and dealing with school bullies — are woven into the world of this book, rather than dominating it, which I find masterful. It also contributes to the reality here — it’s something that happens in a lot of families, but it is not always the only thing going on.

It is all so very real and familiar it makes what comes later that much more shattering.

So, without spoilers I can’t say much more about the story. But as Fern moves through the second half of the book, we struggle with her, and we thrash and we want to cry out. Her pain becomes ours — and if you are a parent reading, it becomes that, too. The end is not a neat wrap-up, a solid conclusion that life will be rosy from now on. But, true to the needs of the middle grade reader for whom this book is intended, there is moving on, the beginning of peace, and the hope that some day the world will be patched back together again — even if the end picture is not what you had before.

Mitzi read this after I’d finished and really liked it (I think she also read it in one sitting). It’s recommended for ages 10 and up; however, depending on how sensitive your reader is, 10 might be a little young for the intensity of the novel — just read first to check.

But read it, you should. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in a while, which is really saying something. I thought about it for a long time after I read it initially. Then I had to read it again. A few weeks ago I took it out of the library for a third time, though this borrowing was for another reason: this is exactly the kind of book I’d like to write one day. A book that grabs the reader, makes them laugh, breaks their heart, then rebuilds it — in all the right ways, the ways that make it real and true.

As a writer, I want to study Knowles’ work as if it were a textbook. Parse it to find out how she built the world, how she carved the characters, how she did it all so precisely — and effortlessly (although I know this last is not true, that a book this well-written was certainly the result of a lot of hours, sweat, tears, and chocolate). There is a lot I can learn from this book, and I hope to — also, that with each book I write I get closer to the awesome that is “See You at Harry’s.”

Last evening, after we’d dropped Cooper and Ray off at the baseball field and brought Mitzi to her softball game, Joanna, Ellie and I headed to the library. I wanted to get a book for Cooper’s project on John Adams, and figured it was a good time to restock our supplies. The girls loaded up with a dozen picture books and easy readers, and I chose a similar amount of middle grade reads for me and the big kids to share. Picking titles for Mitzi is easy — really, she reads just about anything, and there were some books I wanted, so we could share them.

Choosing for Cooper was harder.

Once upon a time, my son, child of my literary loins, did not like to read. It didn’t come easily to him at first, and he is the sort who, used to certain things being easy for him, gets immensely frustrated when things are hard.

It was difficult to watch — he struggled and gave up. Nothing interested him. He wanted to play sports, not be still with his nose in a book. As much as I try to let my kids be the little people they are, frankly, this drove me nuts. I love reading. Reading is awesome! CHILD, YOU MUST LEARN THIS TRUTH! Oh, he was happy to flip through picture books, mostly of the nonfiction variety, and, okay, that was fine, but I was there on the sidelines with a whole library just waiting for him. I began to worry that, even though he was going to be *able to read, he would never have that passion I truly wanted him to have.

And then….Captain Underpants swooshed into our lives. It was perfect for Cooper — a graphic novel with hilarious text (bathroom humor and all) and fun interactive features (Flip-O-Rama!). As soon as he gobbled those up, I introduced him to the spectacular Lunch Lady series by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. (These, too, were a hit, not just with Cooper, but all my kids.) Suddenly, Cooper was reading eagerly, whenever he got the chance.

It was time for my move. I’m a fan of graphic novels, but I wanted him to try longer texts, to challenge himself, to work his reading muscles because, darn it, there are so many awesome books out there that I knew he’d love if only he had the confidence to crack their spines. Around this time we had gone to my parents’ for a visit, and I was perusing a box of books I’d been saving for when my kids were old enough, books from my childhood that I read so many times they were battered and worn.

And there it was. The perfect book for Cooper: How To Eat Fried Worms. I knew he’d love the plot, but also the fact that the chapters are quite short and not intimidating. I smuggled the book home and when the time was right, I offered it. Okay, I seriously played up the gross factor of eating worms and the competitive aspect of the challenge, but, hey. I knew they’d hook him. And it worked. He probably read that book a half-dozen times. It was our Chapter Book Milestone. From there he went on to books like Encyclopedia Brown, again, with short chapters and a fun pace.

Well, for one, I finished the first draft of my first-ever novel for middle grade readers. *happy dance* The process was overwhelming, amazing, scary and a true test of commitment for me. It still needs a lot of work, but I can finally say, “I wrote a novel, even if it’s a crappy one!”.

There were birthdays — Ellie turned 7 and Joanna turned 6, on the same day — and there was spring break and there were other moments of not-so-happiness that sucked the inspiration out of me. So April, the cruelest month, was a roller coaster for me — an apt metaphor, because, frankly, roller coasters scare the crap out of me and I avoid them at all costs.

I’ve also been blogging over at Be Sure To Test, a great new site for diabetics and their loved ones.

So, that was April. Today there’s a gusty, post-storm wind stirring up the newly budded trees, right outside, and things are growing.

Mitzi and Cooper recently read two books by Donna Gephart. Donna is a wonderful writer — her books are filled with humor and heart, and the characters she creates leave lasting impressions long after you’ve reached The End.

Eleven-year-old David Greenberg dreams of becoming a TV superstar like his idol, Jon Stewart. But in real life, David is just another kid terrified of starting his first year at Harman Middle School. With a wacky sense of humor and hilarious Top 6½ Lists, David spends his free time making TalkTime videos, which he posts on YouTube.

But when David and his best friend have a fight, David is lucky enough to make a pretty cool new friend, Sophie—who just (gulp) happens to be a girl. Sophie thinks David’s videos are hilarious, and she starts sending out the links to everyone she knows. Sophie’s friends tell their friends, and before David knows it, thousands of people are viewing his videos—including some of the last people he would have expected.

This book is about a girl named Olivia Bean who loves trivia, and her dream is to be on the kids’ week Jeopardy! show. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

Olivia Bean knows trivia. She watches Jeopardy! every night and usually beats at least one of the contestants. If she were better at geography, she would try out for the show’s kids’ week. Not only could she win bundles of money, she’d get to go to the taping in California, where her dad, who left two years ago and who Olivia misses like crazy, lives with his new family.One day Olivia’s friend-turned-nemesis, Tucker, offers to help her bulk up her geography knowledge. Before Olivia knows it, she’s getting help from all sorts of unexpected sources: her almost-stepdad, superannoying Neil; her genius little brother, Charlie; even her stressed-out mom. Soon she has breezed through the audition rounds and is headed for Hollywood! But will the one person she wants to impress more than anyone else show up to support her?

My favorite character is Olivia Bean, because she is funny, and also nice and smart. My favorite part was when Olivia’s mom’s boyfriend did something really special for her, but I won’t tell what it is because it basically took 20 chapters, aka, the whole book. But it was really nice. I’d recommend this book to people who like fiction and Jeopardy!. You should read this book because it’s really funny, and super awesome!

In my last post, I mentioned the idea that books can be used as springboards for discussions with our kids. Well, one author did just that — with her own book, and her own child. Laura Manivong’s debut novel, ESCAPING THE TIGER, is based in part on her husband’s childhood escape from Communist Laos and his time in a refugee camp. The harsh realities of life in the camp are woven eloquently throughout this story that kids everywhere should read. Themes of censorship are a huge part of this story. In a recent post on the blog Page Turners, Laura discusses a teachable moment with her 8-year-old daughter, who, when her mother told her that the book was a little mature for her, snuck a copy and read it anyway. You MUST read this incredible post by this amazing mom and talented author!

I’ve been meaning to do another post on book recommendations which actually was going to include Laura’s book. Still planning to do so, but in the meantime, check it out! Not so incidentally, this book has a real place in middle school curricula — take a look at her teacher resources too, and pass them on to your local middle school!